Turn Up The Volume: Become an Active Listener in Your Coaching

Resource Materials:

What is Active Listening

  • Listening is the most important tool in your coaching toolbox. We don’t put much thought into listening, and it matters.
  • Active listening means the ability or habit to listen to the speaker with full concentration using all of your senses.
  • Active listenings it the act of being mindful when you listen and attempting to understand the meaning of words spoken by another in a conversation.
  • Active listening is NOT a passive skill. Passive listening is when you are spacing out and not fully there. Active listening means staying focused.
  • It takes a lot of discipline to listen well. You aren’t listening just to give a response, but rather to be of service to the others’ agendas and needs.

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Why Active Listening is Important

  • Listening is the most important tool in your coaching toolbox.
  • Teachers trust tech coaches more when they feel heard.
  • Active listening is beneficial as a coach, teacher, parent, friend, and for everyone.
  • This is a life-skill that makes those speaking feel more valued, heard, and respected.

Active Listening Tips and Practical Implementation Ideas

 

Active Listening

  

Tips

  

How does it look

  

How does it sound

  

How does it feel
 

A

Attention and Attend to your Body Language

 

 

  

Pay attention

Stay Focused

 

Attend to Body Language

–       Lean towards the person speaking (face to face).

–       Make eye contact.

–       Avoid crossing your arms.

  

Looking directly at the teacher.

Keeping your eyes focused on the teacher, don’t look around the room.

No fidgeting

No frowns or scowling, smiling goes a long way!

  

Positive voice tone

Words of affirmation and positivity

The tone of your voice can show support, stress, and frustration.

  

Warm and friendly

Welcoming
 

C 

Clarify and Confirm

 

 

  

Ask clarifying questions.

Paraphrase in your own words

Confirm that you are understanding.

 

  

Nod your head to confirm understanding.

  

Asking the teacher what you can do to help to make things more clear.

Asking the teacher any questions to be sure you understand their needs.

Paraphrasing the needs.

  

The teacher feels heard and understood.
 

T

Take Your Time

Slow Down

 

 

  

Don’t rush the conversation.

Watch your tone.

Make sure that you answer the teacher’s questions.

When replying to emails:

–       Slow down

–       Reread the email before you send.

–       Check the tone of your words.

  

Eyes on the teacher, and not your clock or to-do list.

Focus and words are on the teacher’s needs, not other tasks needing your attention.

People are engaged while talking and building a trusting relationship.

  

Overall sound and feel is relaxed and in the moment.

Voice speed is at a regular, not rapid, rate.

  

Slowing down makes the teachers feel they can trust you and they matter. They don’t feel rushed.
 

I

 Ignore Distractions

 

  

Block out distractions.

Do NOT take your phone (if you must, be sure the ringer is off).

Don’t glance away.

Remember to stay focused – attention matters.

To build trust, the teacher must feel heard.

  

Set-up a specific time to meet. Honor that time by showing up on time.

Designate office hours for teachers to sign-up at their convenience for in-person tech help.

Post the schedule on your door, so others know not to disturb.

  

Silent, except for conversations

Go beyond just avoiding your phone. Also, turn off email notifications or anything that could divert your attention away from the teacher that you are coaching.

  

Appreciated! Coaches show the teacher that the teacher’s time is valuable and appreciated by avoiding the phone, email, notifications, and other distractions.
 

V 

Verbal Cues

 

  

Use verbal cues (not just body language).

Try your best to remember details.

Reiterate something mentioned by the teacher.

It is okay not to remember everything, but try to remember some.

Ask questions to the teacher during your talk.

By asking questions you show that you are paying attention and actively listening.

  

Create an online “notes” area using any tool that works for you (Google Keep, Padlet, Docs, Lino, NoteJoy, etc.).

Use this area to keep simple notes about meetings, needs, and other important details that you don’t want to forget.

  

Remembering details can be tough. Take notes!

Verbal affirmation and questioning show your engagement in the conversation.

  

Simply put, the teacher feels heard!

Our non-verbal body language is important.

 

 
 

E

 

Engage

 

  

4 Ways to Engage

Be Present – keep your mind clear and stay focused.

Minimize possible distractions (i.e. phones)

Give those cues that you are listening both verbal and non-verbal cues.

Reflect (or ask questions) to clarify.

  

Engagement looks like relationship-building conversations and actions.

As a coach, relationships and trust matter the most.

Engagement during your meetings will go a long way in teachers being comfortable with approaching you in the future.

  

You hear productive noise. The noise could include note-taking, questions, encouragement, and more.

You don’t hear awkward silence. Coaches should keep the conversation moving.

  

Engagement helps teachers to feel like they are all part of the same team. The coaches are there to help when needed, and offer support.

 

Additional Articles and Tutorial Videos

 

Standards Addressed

Content Knowledge and Professional Growth: Technology coaches demonstrate professional knowledge, skills and dispositions in content, pedagogical and technological areas as well as adult learning and leadership and are continuously deepening their knowledge and expertise.

6b: Engage in continuous learning to deepen professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions in organizational change and leadership, project management and adult learning to improve professional practice.

6c: Regularly evaluate and reflect on their professional practice and dispositions to improve and strengthen their ability to effectively model and facilitate technology-enhanced learning experiences.

Professional Development and Program Evaluation: Technology coaches conduct needs assessments, develop technology-related professional learning programs and evaluate the impact on instructional practice and student learning.

4a: Conduct needs assessments to inform the content and delivery of technology-related professional learning programs that result in a positive impact on student learning.

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